Satiredun

Hey everyone,
There's this Rex frame that got a dent in it from being on a roof rack and backing into the garage (I didn't do it). It's steel, fillet brazed. There's a small dent near weld of the top tube. I was thinking of using one of these https://www.diseno-art.com/images_3/pipe_expander.jpg (a tailpipe expander) to take the dent out.
What do you guys think?
Pics: https://i.imgur.com/4HUQp.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/VfyNH.jpg

nwbikeman

I don't see the fork so I am guessing it was bent also. It looks like the down tube has been pushed into the head tube as well. I would recommend taking it to a frame shop so they can look at the frame and make sure it is straight and that the head tube is straight and if not they have a jig to realign the frame back to its proper geometry.

Satiredun

Everything was removed for sale of the frame.

chi-james

seems like you may run into the end of the top tube, depending on how well it was mitered. Interested in seeing your results though.

fas2c

I had a similar dent on my head tube and ended up taking an impact socket that would fit loosely, after removing the headset, and forced it past the dent and followed with larger sockets until I managed to push the dent flush. I finished by reaming it with some wet-dry paper wrapped around a socket just to knock down any burrs I may have created.
BEFORE:

AFTER:


Go slow and you will be fine, Do not use a too large of a socket too soon. Just knock the high side down a bit then run the socket through several times, then switch.

Good luck!

Cynikal 

I guess you could try it but I wouldn't. Steve Rex is very good at repairs as well. A head tube replacement would not be very difficult but you would need a repaint. If you are in Sac stop by his shop and ask him.

Satiredun

I called and left a message. For the good deal on this frame it might be worth it. Side note- I am a profesional fabricator/metalworker, but not much experience on frames.

3alarmer 

+1 on both of these, although it's hard to tell
head tube alignment from a photo. Given your
description of the incident, head tube alignment
is immediately suspect.

cyccommute 

That's not a small dent...it's a severely compromised frame. The head tube looks like it's collapsed and I'd suspect that the head tube/top tube/down tube junctions is damaged too. The top tube looks like it's been damaged too. Running a bike into a garage doesn't do anything good for the bike. Sorry to say this but the bike toast. At the very least talk to the builder but I suspect he'll tell you the same thing.

Cynikal 

I doubt the bike is toast but I do think that the head tube would need replacement and that is much easier that replacing a top or downtube.

Satiredun

Here are a couple more photos.
https://i.imgur.com/3ojg6.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/BMSLT.jpg

cyccommute 

As Guy says in Galaxy Quest: "Oh. That's not right."

Your second picture clearly shows cracks in the brazing above the pump peg and cracks in the brazing below the top of the top tube. The head tube looks like it may have bent back into the top tube and could have crushed the end of the top tube.

The crack below the top tube are from elongation where the top tube is being pulled away from the junction while the cracks above the top tube are from compression. As I said before, the frame is severely compromised.

At a minimum, the head tube has to be replaced. The top tube probably needs to be replaced and I doubt that the down tube has faired much better. That will mean removal and replacement, alignment, rebrazing, and refinishing. I doubt that the cost would be cheap and would likely cost a significant fraction of what a new frame would cost.

Get an estimate from the frame builder before you put any more money into this bike.

cudak888 

I spy a crack between the headtube and the upper raceway reinforcement sleeve brazed to the top edge of the headtube. Looks more than a paint issue.



-Kurt

P.S.: Seatposts with a matching OD to the tube's ID are my favorite method of working small dents out of steel headtubes. Make sure the tube isn't butted or seamed; if so, compensate with an accordingly smaller post.

Satiredun

Thanks everyone for pointing these out.

Satiredun

I haven't put any money into it- it's for sale now and I'm seeing it tomorow. He's 150obo.

cyccommute 

That's probably $149.95 more than it's worth. I'd suspect that it would cost you more than 10 times his asking price to get it fixed. It was a great bike...once. It's just scrap now.

Cynikal 

I'm still on the side of a repair. The only damage I see is on the headtube. The crack at the fillet is understandable and completely fixable. If it were me I would by it, maybe talk the owner down a bit. I've seen Steve's repair work first hand with a repair of a Ritchey toptube damaged in a crash. I think for under $600-$700 you could have a nice Rex. Don't quote me on the price though.

Satiredun

Ya, I'm def. going to try to talk him down. Point out that without sanding the paint off, there's no way to tell how bad that crack is, where the dimples are, etc. Thanks everyone! I'll let you know.

nwbikeman

Hi again, now that I am using better computer, down tube is bent and the top and down tube have been pushed into the head tube as well. Put a straight edge on the down tube or under the top tube. Stay away. That frame should stay over his car port.

cudak888 

P.S.: One last thing - heat-treated steel frames should not be cold set. It's fine if the framebuilder cold-sets the tubing (for chainstay clearance or wheel clearance at the seattube), but don't expect to cold-set a heat-treated frame that's been wrecked; it'll crack.

-Kurt

unterhausen

you can't say that from what we see here. I guess the fillet itself is somewhat prone to cracking, but I'm wondering if it's not a crack in the tube. To me it looks like you would be buying a rear triangle. However, it might be worth it if you get the frame for a lot less than $150

Satiredun

Well guys, I decided to get the frame and talked him down to $50. I talked to Steve Rex today, and, worse comes to worse, he quoted 200-400 to replace the headtube. I figure It's a worthy gamble. I'll post again when I strip the paint.

3alarmer 

If the frame is your size, and Steve Rex says
he can fix it for that, seems like a reasonable
deal for one of his framesets.

Here's to good luck

cudak888 

The photos you posted on C&V look better than the originals here. If you can, post a side-shot of the bike; directly at 90 degrees.

-Kurt

Satiredun

hi curt,
I think the first photo is what you mean? or do you mean head-on to the bike frame?